Not applicable.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of railroad cars in general and in particular to a combined locomotive and crane.
2. Description of Related Art
As can be seen by reference to the following U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,518,128; 4,195,741; 4,214,665; 3,338,426; and 5,100,278, the prior art is replete with myriad and diverse motorized crane constructions.
While all of the aforementioned prior art constructions are more than adequate for the basic purpose and function for which they have been specifically designed, they are uniformly deficient with respect to their failure to provide a simple, efficient, and practical arrangement wherein a crane is integrally incorporated into a locomotive.
As most railway personnel are aware, while a motorized crane has the ability to pull a limited number of railway cars, it can only do so at lower track speeds. However, a locomotive can pull or push a large number of railway cars at posted track speeds with no problem at all.
As a consequence of the foregoing situation, there has existed a longstanding and unfulfilled need in the railway system for a new and improved combined locomotive and construction thereby eliminating the need for a separate underpowered motorized railway crane; and, the provision of such an arrangement is the stated objective of the present invention.
Briefly stated, the combined locomotive and crane construction that forms the basis of the present invention comprises in general the incorporation of mechanized crane unit into a locomotive unit so that the crane unit and locomotive unit are wedded together as an integral construction.
As will be explained in greater detail further on in the specification, the locomotive unit is provided with an elongated undercarriage member having a forward section that forms a support platform for a locomotive engine that drives the front and rear wheel carriages of the undercarriage member; and, the rear section of the undercarriage member forms a support platform for a mechanized crane member.